Glass feeder and method of feeding mold charges



April 22, 1952 J. D. CLARK ETAL 2,594,125

GLASS FEEDER AND METHOD DE FEEDING MOLD CHARGES ,A Filed May 18, 1950 2 SHEETS- SHEET 1 Gtfornejg April 22, 1952 J. D. CLARK ET AL 2,594,125

GLASS FEEDER AND METHOD OF FEEDING MOLD CHARGES Filed Hay 18. 1950 2 SHEETS--SHEET 2 Y Snventors J/vfs a/mw CLmek n/va GEORGE I /Vo/vropoLl Bg E W Gttorneg atented pr. 22, b1952 GLASS FEEDER AND METHOD OF FEEDING *MOLD CHARGES James Donald Clark and GeorgeV J. Montopoli, Corning, N.Y., assignors to Corning Glass Works, Corning, N. Y., a corporation ofNew York Application May 18, 1950, Serial No. 162,732

(Cl. lill-55) Y 9 Claims. l The present invention relates to the feeding of mold charges of molten glass through a bottom outlet in a forehearth of a glass-melting tank or the like.

The prime object of the invention is the proi vision of a glass-feeding system which is of `particular utility under circumstances wherein the tank capacity is `only sufficient `for a restricted rate of output, ior wherein the speed of operation of `the associated .glass-fabricating machinery is so slow Vthatconventional automatic methods of feeding charges thereto are impracticable.

Equipment .for feeding molten-glass mold charges, severed while in suspension below a source of glass supply, .for delivery en masse to the molds of associated .glassware fabricating machinery, has been highly ldeveloped and is well known. The apparatus described `in Peiler Patent No. 1,760,254, granted May 27, 1930, is representative of such equipment and includes a gob-feeding needle or plunger arranged over a forehearth bottom outlet and adapted to `be continuously reciprocated vertically to extrude gobs `or moldcharges throughsuch outlet, while shears operating `in coordination with the needle sever the extruded charges from the parentsupply body. Although the needle in its lowermost position does not close the outlet, the loutlet size and the frequency of operation of the needle are so coordinated with the glass viscosity tha't only mold charges issue from the outlet. Operation in this fashion is the accepted practice.

It would appear at rst blush that mold charges could-be fed at a slower .rate with such apparatus by simple adjustment thereof so that, upon completionof its downstroke, the needle would close the outlet and would be maintained in such position for any desired period, thus spacing the charges to meet such slower rate of operation. It is not practicable to do so, however, since the glass near the outlet becomes chilled, and the subsequent mold charge is thereby rendered worthless.

In the companion application of R. N. Sundstrom, Serial No. 80,917, filed March 11, 1949, there is described a system for such periodic formation of mold charges wherein the feeder needle is allowed to remain in its down position between its reciprocation cycles and a small glass stream is permitted to flow through the outlet during such periods. Satisfactory mold charges can be periodically produced by such system, irrespective of the time lapse between the formation of mold charges, without any undesirable chilling of the molten glass about the outlet area. In

"2 such system the small stream is diverted to a cullet chute and sheared from the parent body immediately preceding formation of the mold charge, and the mold charge is then itself sheared from the parent supply body and directed into a jglass-forming mold.

This method of operationis open to objection. however, in that the flow of 4the small glass stream between the formation of the successive mold charges represents `an undesirable waste of glass. When the formation of the successive mold charges must occur at wide 4time intervals. as is necessary with fabricating machinery requiring a considerabletime lapse between Ythe receipt of successive mold charges, such wastefmay become unduly excessive.

Applicants have now discovered that satisfactory `mold `charges may be successively delivered at widely ,spaced times without resort to `such continued ilow of glass during such intervals if the needle is adjusted to close `tl'le outlet so far as practicable vduring such intervals and -any .resulting lchilled glass `in `the vicinity of the outlet is flushed 4therethrough .and sheared `from the parent supply body immediately precedingr the formation of the mold charge. 1Under thesecircumstances, as with the system :described inthe Sundstrom application, vthe glass can be maintained `at a viscosity deemed `most suitable Afor formation, rather than at a compromise viscosity such as required by conventional feeders.

`In applicants system, shortly before a .mold charge is to be formed, movement of .the `needle toward its up position is initiated. :Before ysuch movement is completed, however, it is interrupted to permit molten glass `to iiow through the previously closed outlet `and to carry with it any chilled glass that may have `formedas a result of such closing. Following this period of interruption, which may be varied in accordance with the conditions of Yany particular operation, the upward movementof lthe needle is resumed, Vand its cycleof reciprocation is completed to form `the desired .mold charge. `Subsequent to Vthe interruption of the upward movement-of the needle, andadvantageously as such upward movementfis resumed, the stream `of molten glass is sheared from the parent supply body. Upon completion of the reciprocation of the needle the formed mold charge is also sheared from the supply body, and the needle is then maintained in its down position until this cycle of operations is to be repeated.

Another advantage of applicants system isthat it affords a widelatitude of speeds of needle clp-- 3 eration, enabling excellent control of the shape of mold charges produced. A further advantage of applicants system is that the speed of operation of the needle can be varied at will to vary the mold charge weightwithout changing the frequency of charge delivery. A better` shaped gob can thus be obtained in contrast with conventional feeder practice wherein the limited time during which the needle can be left in the down position seriously limits the 'latitude of adjustment of its rate of movement, and usually requires a glass viscosity higher than that best suited for use in the formation of the article to be produced, and wherein variation of speed of needle operation cannot be utilized to regulate the mold charge weight without also varying the frequency at which the charges are delivered. Y

A conventional feeder can be readily adapted for use in accordance With the invention by arranging for two operations of the shears per reciprocation of the needle, adjusting the needle to normally close the outlet, arranging to stop the needle between reciprocations and also during its upward movement, and giving the needle cam a contour found by experience to provide the character of movement best suited for formation of a mold charge when a glass of a viscosity best suited for such charge is provided.

'Ihe accompanying drawings illustrate sufficient apparatus to teach applicants method in the light of the description and the disclosure of the Peiler patent. In such drawings:

l Fig. l is a plan View with parts in section, ap-

proximately on line I-I of Fig. 3, of a portion of a forehearth and of an associated feeder equipment.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of portions of the feeder equipment and the forehearth shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the forehearth and the feeder equipment shown in Fig. 1, some details being omitted.

Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation, on an enlarged scale, of the control apparatus of the feeder equipment and is taken generally along line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 diagrammatically illustrates a fragment of the forehearth shown in Fig. 1, an associated movable cullet chute with operating and control means therefor, and the operating mechanism and control circuits of the associated feeder equipment.

Referring to the drawings in detail, II represents the usual forehearth and I2 the usual feeder needle which is suspended from an arm I3 (Fig. 3). Arm I3 is guided for vertical reciprocation by a rod I4, which slides in suitable vertically spaced guide bearings, not shown. Turning movement and resulting displacement of needle I2 with respect to rod I4 are prevented by means of a rod I5 depending from arm I3 and passing through a bearing I6. Reciprocation of the needle is effected in a conventionalmanner, as fully shown and described in the Peiler patent, by means of a needle cam 20 (Figs. 1, 2 and 5).

Molten glass 2|, issuing from forehearth outlet 22 (Fig. 3) is severed from the parent supply body of glass in forehearth II by shear blades 23 and 23. These blades are operated by a conventional linkage, as fully shown and described in the Peiler patent, actuated by means of a shear cam 25 carried on a shaft 26 (Figs. 1, 2 and 5) also supporting the needle cam 20. Cam 25 diifers from those conventionally employed only to the extent that its configuration is such that it effects two operations of blades 23 and 23 for each 4 revolution of shaft 26 instead of the usual one such operation per revolution of the shaft.

As fully disclosed in the Peiler patent, shaft 26 carries a worm wheel driven by a Worm gear on a transverse shaft such as shaft 21. In conventional practice the shaft corresponding to 2l is continuously driven at a speed dependent on the rate at which delivery of mold charges is desired, and, as previously explained, since the turning movement of the cam shaft is continuous, the upward movement of the needle by a cam, such as cam 20, substantially immediately follows its arrival at its lowermost position.

In accordance with the present invention, the needle I2 is adjusted to normally close the outlet 22 at the end of its downward movement and to maintain the outlet closed for any desired length of time. Just before a mold charge is to be formed and delivered the needle I2 is raised to and momentarily maintained in an intermediate position to permit molten glass to flow through the outlet and flush from the outlet area any chilled glass resulting from the closing thereof. A timing device is provided to thereafter reinitiate the upward movement of the feeder needle, advantageously during the initial stage of which movement the glass issuing from the outlet is sheared from the parent supply body and passed into a movable cullet chute at the time arranged under the outlet. An instant later such chute is moved clear of the path below the outlet, and the timing device is set into operation in preparation for its initiation of the needle movement during its next reciprocation cycle. During the final stage of the needle movement the mold charge, by that time suspended from the outlet, is sheared from the parent supply body and thus released for delivery to a forming mold.

As shown in the drawings, shaft 2l (Fig. 1) is periodically driven, for example, by a chain 23 passing about a sprocket wheel carried by a countershaft 30. Shaft 30 is adapted to bedriven by a motor 33 through the medium of a single revolution clutch 3| whenever its clutch control cam 32 (Figs. 1 and 4) is freed for rotation. A rheostat R enables ready adjustment of the speed of motor 33. Y

Cam 32 is normally held against rotation by arm 34a of a bell crank 34 (Figs. 1 and 4) pivoted at 35. A spring 36, attached to the other arm 33, normally holds arm 34a in the path of travel of cam 32. Movement of bell crank armr34a clear of cam 32 is effected by energization of a magnet 3l whose armature is coupled to the other arm 38.

A lever 4I cooperative with arm 38 of bell crank 34 and under control of a spring 42 locks the bell crank in its acutated position the instant its arm 34a is moved clear of the cam 32. A magnet 45 is provided to move lever 4I clear of the bell crank arm 38 whenever movement of the needle I2 is to be discontinued. `lInergi/:ation of magnet 45 is effected by momentary closure of contacts 46 by either arm 48 or arm 49 carried by shaft 26. The arrangement is such that arm 49 is positioned to close contacts 46 of a switch 41 after cam 32 has started its last revolution required to turn shaft 26 sufliciently to raise needle I2 to the desired intermediate position, whereas arm 48 is positioned to close such contacts at the time necessary to stop the movement of the needle as it arrives at its lowermost or closed position.

Magnet 3l is momentarily energized at the frequency at which mold charges are desired, as determined by the frequency at which contacts 40 of a timing device T4 are set to close. A- separate'V to shear the stream of glass 2|" issuing by gravity from outlet 22, and is-adapted'to be hel'doperatecl until after the blades 23l and 23 have operated to shear the mold charge. Cam'V 52 isalso employed to actuate a pair of contacts-51 to close a circuit to timing device T employed, as already described, to reinitiate the rotation of shaft 26 after the same has been stoppedA with needle I2. in its intermediate position.

Operation Af cycle of operation in brief is asfolloWs-z- With the needle I2 in its down position, for all practicable purposes no glass flows` from outlet 22, Upon momentary closing of the contacts of timing device T, magnet 31ibecomes energized and thus turns bell crank 34 leftward (as viewed in Fig. 4) about pivot 35 to move arm 34a clear of cam 32, thus freeing the cam 32 for rotation. v,

Lever 4|, under the influence of spring 42, immediately cooperates with bell crank arm 38 to lock it in its operated position independently of magnet 31, whose circuit is opened by contacts 40 almost immediately.

After the needle I2 has been raised substantially the desired amount, arm 49` on shaft 2B momentarily closes contacts 46` to energize magnet whose associated lever 4| is' thus moved clear of bell-crank arm 38-to permit arm 34a to again move into the path of cam4 32 and be thus enabled to stop the turning movement of shaft 26 with needle I2 in its intermediate position. In this position suflicient molten glass is permitted to flow to clear the outlet of chilled glass. The flushing-out period is terminated by closure of the contacts 5I) which again complete the circuit of magnet 31 to effect resumption of the turning of shafts 30, 21, and 2E, and the consequent upward movement of needle I2. This movement tends to cause necking of the stream of molten glass and is almost immediately followed by actuation of the shear blades 23 and 23 by the shear cam 25.

As soon as the molten glass stream has been sheared, cam 52 actuates valve 53 causing the pneumatic unit 55 to move cullet chute 5E out from under outlet 22. At about the same time contacts 51 in the operating circuit of timing device T are opened by cam 52, enabling it to reopen its contacts 5U. As a revolution of shaft 26 is being completed, the needle I2 is raised farther and then lowered to extrude a mold charge. Just before needle I2 reaches its closed or lowermost position, shear cam 25 operates blades 23 and 23 to shear the mold charge. Almost immediately thereafter arm 48 on shaft 26 again closes contacts 46, thereby again completing the circuit of magnet 45 to stop the turning movement of shaft 26 as needle I2 arrives at its closed position, by which time arm 48 has moved clear of contacts 46. During this latter time the cam 52 also moves clear of valve 53, thereby enabling the spring to return the chute 56 to under outlet 22 and to reclose contacts 51, thereby again initiating the operation of timing device T.

We: claim:

1.` The. method of periodically forming moldV4 charges, which comprises: initiating,A the 'flow of a4 stream4 of. molten glass, from a supply body after the lapse` ofV the major portionfof the time following the formation ofi thef` preceding mold.

charge, increasing the now of glass from said supply bodyv to form a moldcharge in saidr stream, severing the stream. from said supply body.l immediately preceding andi immediately following formation of the mold charge therein',A and immediately interrupting they flow of glass-from'l the` supply body followingformation o-f the mold` before the issuance of the next mold charge therefrom, then issuing glass from.` such supply body for the remainder of the periodirmnediately preceding the issuance of the subsequent mold charge. from such. supply bod.y,.increasing.` the'flow of` glass to issue such` subsequent mold. charge,

and severing the issuing glass from the supply body immediately' preceding. andV immediately following issuance of such` subsequent` mold charge therefrom.

3. The method of intermittently feeding charges. of molten glassY from` a supply body through a` submerged outlet of a container for such body, which comprises holdingl the. outlet.

after opening the outlet widel and then reclosingL it to extrude a chargek therethrough, separating the stream from the: supply body immediately preceding the extrusion of the charge through the outlet, and separating the charge y from the supply body as the outlet is reclosed.

4. The method of periodically producing mold charges of molten glass from a supply body from a submerged orince in a container for such body, which comprises flowing a stream of molten glass from the submerged orice for a relatively short interval of time to remove any chilled glass from the orifice area resulting from discontinuance of the flow of glass from such orifice, severing said stream from the supply body at a point close to the orifice, immediately thereafter extruding a mold charge from the orifice, severing such mold charge from the supply body at a point close to the orifice, discontinuing the flow of glass from the orifice for a relatively long interval of time, and thereafter repeating said sequence of' steps to form additional mold charges.

5. In a glass charge feeder for use with a container having a bottom outlet through lwhich molten glass in the container can flow by gravity, a needle arranged over and adapted to periodically close said outlet, apparatus for periodically reciprocating said needle away from and toward said outlet to regulate the issuance of glass therethrough, said reciprocating apparatus including means adapted to maintain said needle in substantially closed position with respect to said outlet for a predetermined period following each reciprocation of said needle, means under whose control the reciprocation of the needle is interrupted and then resumed during movement of the needle away from the outlet, shear blades arranged below the outlet, and mechanism for actuating said blades following interruption of the movement of the needle away from the outlet, and for again actuating said blades at the completion of a reciprocation cycle of the needle.

6. A feeder such as defined by claim 5, wherein the means to maintain the needle in substantially closed position includes a timing device to control thetime of initiation of the reciprocation of the needle and the means to interrupt reciprocation of the needle includes a separate timing device to control the time of resumption of its reciprocation.

7. A feeder such as defined by claim 6, wherein the reciprocating apparatus includes a shaft carrying a needle-operating cam, and a drive for said shaft including a clutch and a drive means therefor, and wherein the rst timing device activates said clutch toV initiate the rotation of said shaft by the drive means, and the separate timing device again activates the clutch to reinitiate the rotation of said shaft by the drive means following interruption of the needle movement.

8. An apparatus for periodically feeding charges of molten glass from a bottom outlet in a container for the same, which includes a feed-control needle within the container adapted to periodically close the outlet, means for reciprocating said needle away from and toward the outlet, said reciprocating means including means adapted to maintain said needle in substantially closed position with respect to said outlet for a predetermined period following each reciprocation of said needle, means for temporarily disabling said reciprocating means during the time that the needle is moving' away from the outlet, shear blades arranged below theV outlet, and means to actuate the shear blades after movement of the needle has been resumed to shear the glassy issued from the outlet while said re-V ciprocating means was temporarily disabled and to'again actuate said shear blades to shear the glass issued from the outlet during completion of the reciprocation cycle of the needle.

9. An apparatus for periodically feeding charges' of molten glass from a bottom outlet in a container for the same, which includes a glass flow-control device Within the container adapted to periodically close said outlet, means for periodically operating said device to regulate the iiow of glass through said outlet, said operating means including means adapted to maintain said flow-control device in substantially closed position with respect to said outlet for a predetermined period following each operation of said device, and means for temporarily interrupting the operation of said device during the initial portion of the glass flow, a severing device arranged below the outlet, and mechanism for ac tuating said severing device to sever the glass flowing through the outlet following the interruption of each operating cycle of said now-control device and for again actuating said severing device to sever the glass flowing through said outlet at the completion of an operating cycle of said iiow-control device.

JAMES DONALD CLARK. GEORGE J. MONTOPOLI.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Y Name Date 1,720,496 Tremblay July 9, 1929 2,012,583 Bates Aug. 27, 1935 2,077,147 Honiss Apr. 13, 1937 2,126,351 Sharp Aug. 9, 1938 2,280,036 Meyers Apr. 14, 1942 

